The warp and weft of Fries, Virginia

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Abstract

Fries, Virginia exists because of the Fries Textile Mill. The
closing of the mill calls into question the future of the community
of Fries. The decline of the town can be tied to the closing
of the mill. Conversely, the revitalization of the mill should
help to reshape the town. Even as it stands empty, the mill
continues to be a massive presence on the hillside overlooking
the New River. It is possible to turn this symbol of the past into
a hope for the future.

About a century ago an imposing brick building intruded on
the serenity of that hillside above the New River. That building
was an intrusion then, but it is an integral part of the landscape
now. The mill is the landmark that defines the town. It is also
functionally obsolete. New construction at the mill is necessary
to turn it into something that can be productive in today's
economy.

The new construction at the mill is designed to reveal and
emphasize the qualities of the building and the town which
already exist. The existing mill structure has become the warp,
and a new structure is to be woven into it. It is designed to
enhance the old structure and to do it in a way that is less intrusive
than the original construction. Three new buildings have
been sculpted out of the existing mill, through carefully adding
new structure and subtracting from the existing building. The
mill has been modified so that it might fit in today's world, and
the town of Fries is about to begin its next chapter.